Hair treatment tray



March 28, 1950 H 2,501,829

HAIR TREATMENT TRAY Filed July 28, 1948 lndfli art 757776517- Fly 6.

Patented Mar. 28 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIR TREATMENT TRAY James A. Rugh, Chicago, 111.

Application July 28, 1948, Serial No. 41,110

3 Claims. 1

This invention comprises a hair treatment tray of a type particularly suitable for use in the home, although it is equally useful in commercial beauty parlors.

My improved tray is designed for use in connection with such hair treatment operations as shampooing, applying the so-called cold permanent waves, and hair dyeing. In View of the current popularity of the cold type permanent wave, the first two mentioned operations are now being performed in the home to a much larger extent than previously. The present tray greatly simplifies these various operations.

One object of the invention is to provide a tray that can be attached to any usual sink or basin to form an extension thereof that interfits with the neck of the individual whose hair is being treated. Water or other liquid applied to the hair flows across the tray and into the sink or basin, or in the alternative, is received and retained within a pocket provided on the tray so that it can be used again.

Another object is to provide a tray that is nonrigid in character so that the person whose hair is being treated may enjoy a reasonable freedom of movement. This eliminates fatigue such as is experienced with a rigid tray.

Another object is to provide a tray that utilizes waterproof sheet material, preferably sheet plastic, carried by a light weight frame, the sheet material, in the preferred form of the invention, being removable from the frame so the material may be reversed and may be periodically washed, and the frame used for other purposes, such as a clothes hanger, if desired.

As mentioned above, a pocket may be provided at the end of the frame that enters the sink or basin, the pocket being a waterproof container in which can be placed or collected the liquid used in the hair treating operation. For example, the cold type permanent wave requires the use of a liquid neutralizer. This neutralizer may be placed in the pocket where it conveniently may be applied to the hair. Excess applied neutralizer runs off the hair into the tray and is collected in the pocket so that it may be used again. Similarly, material used in dyeing the hair may be contained in the pocket. Thus, my improved tray effects substantial economy in various materials used in hair treatment.

In certain instances, such as applying water to the hair during a shampoo, the pocket feature of the tray is not needed, and in those instances, the pocket may be rendered inoperative so the liquid will be directed into the sink or basin.

My improved tray is characterized also by its extreme ease and economy of construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein one form of the invention is shown. It is to be understood that the description and drawing are illustrative only, and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved tray showing one manner in which it may be used;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the tray;

Fig. 3 is a View in side elevation;

Fig, 4 is an enlarged, sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, partly in section, showing certain details of construction.

Referring now to the drawing, my hair treatment tray is shown in one manner of use in Fig. 1. Tray H has one end anchored within a sink l I, and an individual I2 is positioned facing away from the tray. The individuals shoulders support the end of the tray away from the sink, and the individuals neck is received within the curved, recessed portion provided therefor. The hair l3 extends over the upper face of the tray in convenient position for shampooing. In an alternative manner of use, the individual faces the tray. In this case, the hair extends forwardly from the head and into the tray. During the course of a single shampoo, both positions nor mally would be used.

The nature and construction of tray ID are shown in greater detail in Figs. 2-6. Tray ID includes a substantially rectangular frame having opposed, long sides 55 and I6, and opposed, short sides I1 and 18. Any suitable material may be used for the frame, although in the usual case I prefer to use light weight, rust resistant metal.

The frame may be formed from a single length of metal stock, the free ends thereof being brought together in abutting relationship in the center of short side l8, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The side 11 is curved to provide a neck receiving portion as shown at lid. The curved portion forms a recess extending into the body of tray Ill, and is provided to receive either the front or the back of the neck of the individual using the tray.

The portions l9 and 20 of frame sides 15 and I6, respectively, may bev bent rearwardly of the frame so that the side I8 is somewhat offset from the plane of the other three sides, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The purpose of this offset is to provide a better fit with the sink in which the tray is used. In other words, the tray may be associated with the sink at a point conveniently near the sink front, and the angle with the sink made by the tray is desirably lesser than would be the case if the offset were not used.

Side I8 of the frame carries a pair of suction cups 25 and 26 made of suitable material such as rubber. These cups serve to anchor the tray to the sink as shown generally in Fig. 1. The suction cups each have a boss 21 (Fig. 6). The frame side It passes through a transverse hole in each boss 21 to thus mount the suction cups on the tray. It is to be noted that by this construction, suction cups 25 and 2B are movable along side l'8 so as to permit desired spacing between the cups depending upon the contour of the sink with which the tray is used. Since the cups are rotatable with respect to frame side l8, the cups may be secured either to the sink bottom or the inner side of the sink front, depending upon which is more convenient. Also, the elevation angle of the tray may be varied to suit the relative position of the user.

Following assembly of the suction cups 25 and 26 on side 18, the abutting ends of the portions forming side [8 ma be fixed together in any desired manner. As illustrated, I have provided a short sleeve 28 (Figs. 2 and 6) that receives the abutting ends in telescopic relation. The portion ends may be secured within the sleeve 28 by crimping, as shown at 29.

The body of the tray itself comprises waterproof sheet material 30 supported by frame sides I5, I 6 and 11. Any suitable material may b used, and it might be mentioned that I have found sheets of plastic material, such as Korcsea1, particularly satisfactory. This material has a slight elasticity so that it is stretched slightly by the weight of the water or liquid used on the tray. This property provides a path that tends to confine the liquid centrally of the tray and minimizes overflow from the tray edges. As seen in the drawing, the sheet material lies generally in the area defined by the three mentioned frame sides.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, in a preferred form of the invention the sheet material may take the form of two, superimposed layers or portions, an upper portion 32, and a lower portion 33. These portions are joined together at the edges thereof adjacent the supporting frame sides l5, l6 and [1. The union of the portion edges, as shown at 34 (Fig. 4), may be accomplished in any suitable manner, such as a heat treatment or other process applicable to the particular kind of sheet material used. The result is a sleeve.

Thus it is seen that the sheet material 30 is tailored to fit the frame. I have found it desirable to impart to the frame a slight taper, that is, form the frame with its sink end slightly shorter than its opposite side IT. This improves the appearance of the tray, and in addition, provides a gradually increasing central channel in the sheet material 33. It will be understood that the two long sides of the sheet material must be substantially parallel so that the material can be applied to the frame over its widest dimension. Thus the sheet material at the sink end of the tray is slightly wide as compared to the frame width. The slack thus provided forms a decided central channel at that tray end.

Qne important feature of certain forms of my improved tray is the provision of a pocket 35 at the end of the tray that extends into the sink during use. This pocket is conveniently made by extending the sheet material 30, such as upper sheet portion 32. The extended portion is then folded back upon itself as best shown in Fig. 5 to provide a pocket. The lateral edges 31 and 38 are joined together so that the pocket is liquid proof. The lip 39 (Fig. 5) of the pocket may be hemmed for reinforcement if desired.

The pocket 36, in addition to forming a container for various liquids that are used in hair treatment, also may, at a different stage of the operation, receive hair pins, curlers, or other devices used in treating the hair. As mentioned above, the pocket may be rendered inoperative at times when the liquid is supposed to run off into the sink by merely removing the sheet material 3!) from the frame and replacing it in reverse, that is, having the pocket on the underside of the tray.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Various changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit or losing the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A hair treatment tray comprising a substantially rectangular frame, one of the shorter side's being offset from the plane of the other three sides, the opposite shorter side being curved to provide a neck receiving portion, a pair of suction cups carried by said Ofiset side for gripping the surface of a sink, and waterproof sheet material carried by the two longer frame sides and said curved side, said sheet material lying generally in the area defined by said sides and comprising two superimposed layers joined at the edges thereof adjacent the supporting sides to form a sleeve removable from said frame, and a waterproof pocket extending across the end of said sheet material adjacent said offset side, said pocket being disposed to collect liquid flowing across said sheet material.

2. A hair treatment tra comprising a substan tially rectangular frame, one of the shorter sides being curved to provide a neck receiving portion, a pair of suction cups carried by the other shorter side for gripping the surface of a sink, and waterproof sheet material carried b the two longer frame sides and said curved side, said sheet material lying generally in the area defined by said sides and comprising two superimposed layers joined at the edges thereof adjacent the supporting sides to form a sleeve removable from said frame.

3. A sleeve comprising two superimposed, substantially rectangular portions of waterproof sheet material, said portions being joined together at the edges of the two long sides and one of the short sides, and a waterproof pocket eX- tending across the other short side to receive liquid that flows across one outer sleeve surface.

JAMES A. RUGH. 1

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 835,814 Dalton Nov. 13, 1906 2,451,652 Bazelon Oct. 19, 1948 

